Why Virginia’s Bold Rock Cider is So Freaking Good

Some might say it's the Bald Eagle of beverages

Get more Spoon in your feed.

Get Spoon University delivered to you

You tryna be tricky? That email doesn't look right.

A recent segment on CBS Sunday Morning discussed hard cider and how its growing popularity has us all raising a glass to an old American tradition of cider-making. While this drink virtually disappeared in America post-prohibition, it has been rediscovered and is once again in great demand.

Presidents Thomas Jefferson and George Washington were orchardists that pressed apples from their farms and fermented them into cider. By the beginning of the 18th century, 300,000 gallons worth of cider were produced in New England, and by 1750, a typical person living in Massachusetts drank around 35 gallons annually.

Personally, hard cider has recently become my drink of choice. Not only does it taste like a crisp, fizzy juice, but the appearance of it being a beer masks some of its frilliness.

So, while it helps me appear chill enough to hang with the frat stars, I am essentially just drinking an alcoholic juice box; it’s a double win. Don’t be fooled, though. This fruity drink packs a nice punch. When sweeter apples are used, the alcohol level increases, making it the same strength as a hearty beer.

So, when you next want to responsibly enjoy a drink, consider a hard cider and cheers to the rediscovered craft of our founding fathers.